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Friday, October 2, 2015

My Letter to Santa

Hello my friends! Sorry for another late post today -- it's been that kind of a week. ;) I know you're wondering why I'm talking about Christmas in October but man have I got a story for you!! I planned another post for today but I just had to share what happened to me this morning.

It started when I ran into Hallmark earlier today to pick up the ornament catalog for my son. (We love looking through it. Yes, in October.) The employees were grabbing one for me and while I waited I noticed a beautiful Christmas book on the counter. It was called Letters to Santa Claus and because I love anything Christmas, I picked it up and starting looking at it:

It really is a lovely book. I noticed in the first few pages that it's based on letters sent to the city of Santa Claus, Indiana and thought, wow that's cool -- the Indiana connection.

I was in a hurry so I very quickly scanned through some of the pages. Each page is a scanned letter to Santa, in it's original form. What's really cool is they are separated into decades, with the first ones from the 1940's. What a treasure!

I had no idea what a treasure it would be. :) You see, I only looked at a couple pages and was getting ready to put it down when I flipped to one more. I thought I was losing my mind for a minute.

I was looking at my own (childhood) handwriting. I can't even describe the confusion/amazement/bewilderment I felt. There was just no way. I started reading and none of it was familiar to me. Then I saw the name at the bottom…Sarah.

I could not even believe what I was reading.

It was my letter to Santa:

If you can't read it here's what it says (spelling corrected):

Dear Santa Claus,

I love you very much. I watched a show about you and they said there was no Santa Claus. But I believe in you. If you are really Santa Claus could you get me a Baby Alive? They boys in my class said that there was no Santa Claus. My mom said that they will be disappointed when they don't get anything. You are my best friend I've got.

Your friend,

Sarah

I read through the whole thing quickly and when I came to the part about the Baby Alive doll I finally let myself fully understand that this was MY letter. I wanted that doll SO BAD. She peed and pooped people. :) And I got her that Christmas. (Santa is real!)

How amazing is this?? I'm still in shock. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry or just smile or what. I told the ladies in the store and they couldn't believe it.

I still can't believe it. What's weird is I would have never known if I hadn't gone in there and picked up that book. And out of the very few pages I looked at, my letter was one of them. What a special, special thing.

I remember where we lived when I got that doll and that year was a tough one -- my parents had just separated and we moved to an apartment in Indianapolis from our big farmhouse in a very small farming town. The kids were brutal, I was totally out of my element, I missed my Dad and it was just a rough year overall. My childhood after that had some wonderful times but a lot of hard times. I only have one small box of memories and some photos -- everything else was lost. So as you can imagine, I can't stop smiling about having this part of my history. (Of course I had to buy the book!)

I just had to share this story with you. :) I can't even tell you how much I needed this after this week. What a beautiful gift to get a piece of my childhood in such a lovely and unexpected way.

P.S. My handwriting was pretty awesome for about eight years old, right? And how I spelled disappointed correctly and not said, I'll never know. ;)

Edited to add -- here's a link to the book, I found it online. Turns out mine was chosen from millions of letters sent from all over the world over the years. Unbelievable.

I love this post!! That must have been an exciting moment for you. I also love your style and DIY projects. I check your blog frequently....good luck on the kitchen remodel! We just moved this spring into a "fixer upper" and redid the kitchen entirely....my counters look similar to yours!

I guess because I sent it to Santa Claus Indiana? Or maybe that's where the North Pole letters go in Indiana? I don't know if they kept it all this time or scanned it for some reason along the way. Crazy right?

What a lovely and surprisingly encouraging post. I hope I don't sound crazy, but my 2 cents? It wasn't so much a "letter to Santa", but a "letter to the Lord". It's like He heard your sweet, aching heart all those years ago, saved the letter these many years, and then gave it back to you today. What a gift and sign of God's provision and tenderness. You always make my day a little brighter, Sarah!Sofia

How awesome is this!!! It moved me to tears and I agree with the comment about 'God's provision and tenderness'! So glad that He cares this much for us! Second time this week that I had tears reading your blog. Not a bad thing though. I was so sorry about your kitty! Love your blog and always look forward to your posts. You're my favorite!!!

Your wonderful surprise of a gift makes me so happy for you, Sarah!! As some of your other readers have already suggested, too many things had to line up for this to have been a coincidence. I'll be thinking of your story often this weekend and it will bring a smile to me every single time.

What a sweet story and tender mercy. This reminds me of all the kind and loving people that are out there to help others is small and simple ways. When my twins were 3 and we were living in LA money was tight and Christmas was going to be small. My girls wrote their letters to Santa. One of my girls asked for a donkey. My husband and I had a good laugh about her request. We put the letters in a box at a local store that said Santa's mailbox. Christmas Eve we got a knock on the door and there stood Santa and his elf. My daughter got a cute little stuffed donkey that Christmas. I don't know how they got our address or how they found us in the big city of LA. There is one thing I know for sure, Yes, Sarah there is a Santa Claus. Thanks for sharing your story.

Amazing! I have to go look for the book now. Feel like I may have written a very similar letter to Santa Claus, IN from Fort Wayne way back then. Santa never brought me a Baby Alive - they ARE awesome! However, I cannot complain! Such a cool story, thank you so much for sharing. Your blog is one of my very favorites!

Such a great story to end the week with. That had to be the best experience. It truly was fate. So glad you shared this. Reading your letter made me smile. And yes your cursive handwriting is very impressive!!

Hi Sarah - A good friend of mine sent me the link to your post and I was so excited to read about your letter. I'm the author of the book and one of Santa's Elves in Santa Claus, Indiana. Your story is amazing and absolutely what we hoped for when we published the book. I'm also happy to hear you received that Baby Alive Doll! I'd be happy to talk more about the Elves and hear more about your story as well. Merry Christmas :) - Emily

Hi Sarah! I love your blog and read it often. It was so exciting for me to read your post this afternoon, because I designed the book that has your letter in it. :) I'm a senior book designer for Indiana University Press. I read every letter as I was designing the book and I've got to say some made me laugh and some made me cry. I really believe there was a reason you walked into that store and picked up the book and turned to the page of your letter. Isn't it amazing how life is like that? It's a Christmas miracle - and isn't that what Christmas is all about? - Jennifer

When unique things like that happen in your life, I like to think that there is a reason for it. Maybe it was to share your story with your family or grandkids down the road or someone who needs to know even the difficult times bring good things. I don't know, but it is special!

I love your story...it was fate....and it so reminded me of when I met my stepdaughter. When I met her dad she was 9 years old, she had a really hard time the year before when her parents divorced and she had never in her whole life had Christmas in their house, because her mum didn't believe in Christmas. It was difficult to get into the Christmas spirit for my husband (I must say he did try over the years). So I said to her dad we should do a really special 1st Christmas (I absolutely love Christmas). The build up was amazing we went out and bought a huge tree, I decorated it with all my Christmas decorations I had purchased over the years from when my own son was a baby, He is 10 years older than her so knew what was coming and has had many great Christmases and so we went OTT on everything. We kept buying gifts to put under the tree and she would say how does father Christmas fill the boxes with presents...because he comes down the chimney I said but only if you are good...(luckily we had a chimney). We got her to send a letter to father Christmas via the post office and they sent a letter back with fairy dust in it (glitter to you and I). So on Christmas eve she was so excited she came downstairs and said she couldn't sleep...so we said if you sprinkle some fairy dust on your pillow then it will help you sleep because Santa knows that children find it hard to sleep on Christmas eve so that's why he sent the fairy dust. We knew what was on her list because although she had put it in her little safe we had a key so we peaked. Of course the fairy dust worked and she went fast to sleep. The next morning was a real treat because all the things she had asked for were under the tree. We were able to keep the story of father Christmas up for 3 years before the kids at school told her that there was no father Christmas....but it was still magical for us to watch her open her presents and believe in father Christmas. So reading your story really resonated with me...of course now she is grown up but still she loves Christmas!

Such an amazing and touching story! Serendipitous! I'm sure the book will become a family treasure. The fact that the author was led to your blog post makes it even more special. Heave a wonderful weekend and thanks for sharing this story.Dorene @ Seasonal Chapters}

What a sweet story!! I bet you could hardly contain your emotion in that store!!! I love all things Christmas and Santa. I think when you have experienced heartache as a child those tender memories of childhood really hold on to your heart. I have quite a collection of Santas and may have to get that book. God gave you a sweet surprise this week.

What a wonderful thing to happen! I'm very happy for you! I felt your joy! I would have cried, screamed and jumped up and down! How cool is that! I'm glad you bought the book. I didn't know they published one! I'll go buy it, too!

CRAZY!!!!! I keep getting chills! Oh my gosh!!! What a gift. And like you said, after the rough week you have had. God is really so amazing. What a treasure. And a way to kind of let go a bit, to a time from your past that you may have had a tough time dealing with or letting go. Unreal!

I had to comment because I think I'm amazed just as much as you are. WoW. Talking about magic....you really have to start looking for all kind of signs now. You must have a gift, and it could be your sign (o:

What a beautiful gift our Lord provided. It gives me goose bumps. God is so good. He wanted you in that store at that time to read your letter and make your day. WHAT A BLESSING. That is much more poignant and special than any material gift that we could exchange. God loves us so much! Let us never miss an opportunity to give Him the glory. Amen!

What happened to you and you're being able to share it with all of us is one big reason I love blogging and reading about the small wonders in people's lives. Sounds like you waited for that miracle for long time and we all got to share something so incredible with you. so happy for you Sarah. Your hard work, your awesome blog and your humility are why people love you and love sharing your life as well as your blog. We can all use a big warm fuzzy feeling and so glad you let us share it with you. Miracles are out there, we just have to have our hearts open to receive them. Happy weekend Sarah. You truly are incredible How lucky your son is to have you for his Mom.Enjoy dear lady

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That is such an amazing story! OMG, I too wanted Baby Alive!!! What a precious heirloom that book will become. I have saved many of the letters my girls wrote to Santa. You just gave me an idea to include them in the photo book I was planning to create this year with all their Christmas card photos.

Absolutely amazing!!!!! I was teary-eyed reading your story actually. And like you, "believe' in Santa Claus (wrote about it even http://buhayatbahay.blogspot.com/2013/12/why-i-still-believe-in-santa-claus.html), grab as many copies as you can so you can share it with your grandkids someday!

Wow...what a blessing and treasure you received. I was in awe, when reading this . Just unbelievable. SO happy for you. I remember the Baby alive so well. My daughter is 42 and when she was 4 yrs old, she got it for Christmas. She loved her new baby..My husband being the "sweet" fellow he is.. Fed the baby some mustard..well, you can imagine, the mustard poop that my sweet baby girl discovered. And for the moment...she was TOTALLY threw with baby alive.lolThanks for sharing this lovely story. I enjoyed it so much. Judy

Is it possible for me to be crying with a huge grin on my face? :) Very neat experience. I can only imagine your confusion as youstumbled upon your own writing. Wild.Merry early Christmas, dear!Chrissy